The Hammetschwand lift connects the two Swiss cantons of Lucerne and Nidwalden. It is located on the north side of the alpine mountain Burgenstock. It offers a magnificent view of Lake Fyrwaldstätsee, which the locals call "the lake of the four cantons".
The lift is named after the Hammetschwand observation deck, to which it takes everyone. The lift has a partially transparent cabin that seats 12 people at a time. The lift connects the foot of the cliff to the open viewing platform at the top of the mountain. The distance between these two points is 157 metres. The lift shaft is 39 metres long and is cut through the rock. The rest of the way, i.e. 118 metres, the lift passes outside the mountain, which is very much appreciated by the many tourists who admire this attraction. During the ride on the high-speed lift, you can admire the Fyrwaldstätsee lake below and the small towns built on its shores. The transparent lift car moves in a lattice metal structure, which does not obstruct the view.
The top platform, to which the lift takes tourists, is located at 1132 metres above sea level.
The Hammetschwand lift, which is considered to be the highest observation lift in Europe, was built between 1903 and 1906 at a cost of 500,000 francs. It is listed as a cultural property of the two cantons of Lucerne and Nidwalden.
To reach the lower station of the lift, located near the tourist village of Burgenstock, one can first take the funicular, which takes people from the Kerchsiten-Burgenstock pier, and then walk along the landscaped paths.
